James M. Casso

Overview

James (Jamie) Casso serves as the Principal in Charge of Meyers Nave’s Los Angeles office. His practice focuses on providing counsel to cities and other public agencies throughout Southern California. In 2011, Jamie was selected by the Daily Journal as one of California’s “Top 25 Municipal Lawyers.”

He brings to the firm an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of public law and redevelopment law. As a city attorney, he provides advice and representation on a broad range of legal issues faced on a daily basis by public agencies, including matters involving local agency election law, the Brown Act, the Public Records Act and the Political Reform Act. As redevelopment counsel, Jamie has handled substantive matters involving: real property development; mixed-use development; low and moderate housing; public-private partnerships; environmental agreements and remediation; and the purchase, sale, lease and financing agreements that involve complex land use, planning and zoning issues.

Jamie serves as Interim City Attorney for the City of La Puente and as Special Counsel to the successor agency to the former South El Monte Community Development Commission, the former La Puente Community Development Commission, the former Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Guadalupe, the former Redevelopment Agency of the City of Pismo Beach and the former Community Development Agency of King City. He served as Special Counsel to the City of Inglewood Redevelopment Agency.

In August 2010, Jamie was hired by the City of Bell to serve as its Interim City Attorney to deal with the myriad of issues facing the City and to assist in the corruption investigation of the practices of Bell’s former administration. Through his efforts, the City of Bell implemented open and transparent practices as well as revealing the corruption. Jamie also drafted two legislative proposals that were unanimously adopted by the State Legislature addressing some of the problems facing Bell. In addition, Jamie has provided insightful consultation to a bipartisan group of state legislators seeking to address many of the issues learned from his experience in Bell.

From 2007 to 2010, Jamie served as General Counsel to the Water Replenishment District of Southern California and from 2001 to 2007, he was the City Attorney and Redevelopment Agency Counsel for the City of Pico Rivera.

Jamie also served as the long-time Chief of Staff for former U.S. Congressman Esteban E. Torres, gaining more than 30 years of public policy experience and knowledge. During his tenure with Congressman Torres, he spearheaded the formation of federal funding legislation aimed at addressing public transportation projects throughout California, but particularly in Southern California. He was the Congressman’s chief advisor in the development of legislation dealing with the clean-up of groundwater contamination in the San Gabriel Valley and related conjunctive use and groundwater storage agreements involving the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the Interior. Jamie has an intimate understanding of the federal and state legislative and regulatory processes as well as federal transit issues. He regularly consults with state and federal elected officials on public policy matters of local concern.

Jamie has represented several public and private entities before federal, state and local elected officials and agencies. He is known for developing pragmatic solutions to complex problems, and he has longstanding working and personal relationships with elected officials in California and Washington, D.C.

Honors and Awards

  • Daily Journal, "Top 25 Municipal Lawyers in California," 2011

Presentations and Publications

  • Lorman Education Services lecturer on the Brown Act, Public Records Act and Political Reform Act
  • Lecturer for the California Special Districts Association on AB 1234 compliance
  • Lecturer on AB 1234, Ethics for Local Agency Officials and AB 1825, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Local Agency Officials

Professional and Community Affiliations

  • Member, The State Bar of California
  • Member, League of California Cities, City Attorney Department
  • Member, California Redevelopment Association
  • Member, Board of Directors, New Bedford Panoramex
  • Member, Board of Directors, California Polytechnic University, Pomona, Partners in Education
  • Former Member, Board of Directors, Citrus Valley Health Partners

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, JD
  • University of California at San Diego, BA